Taipei telecoms show to feature 4G and ‘smart living’ technology

Staff writer, with CNA

Wed, Feb 20, 2013 - Page 13

Taipei’s annual telecoms show returns tomorrow, featuring fourth-generation (4G) superfast mobile broadband technology and demonstrations of how such technology can be integrated into everyday living, the organizers said yesterday.

The Taipei Telecom Applications Show will also be bigger than last year’s, hosting 80 exhibitors at 320 booths, which is about a 14 percent increase, Taipei Computer Association secretary-general Enoch Du (杜全昌) said.

Du said that the government would issue licenses for high-speed 4G Long-Term Evolution connectivity by the end of the year and commercial operations are expected to commence soon after that.

“Here comes the era of 4G,” Du said at a press briefing, adding that the public would soon enjoy a new experience of “smart living” with superfast broadband services.

Smart living technologies include cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IOT).

IOT is defined as a world that links physical objects to virtual data and environments, which interact with each other in real time.

For example, TV sets and air conditioners could be linked to smartphones or other handheld devices so that people can operate their appliances even when they are away from home.

With the introduction of 4G broadband technology, a smart and interactive living space will not be a dream anymore, the organizers said on the show’s official Web site.

The technology also provides access to information about disaster relief and prevention, and allows people to upload their health status and data for real-time monitoring by health specialists, service providers said.

A forum on future developments for 4G applications in Taiwan will be held in tandem with the fair, Du said.

The four-day event will serve as an exchange platform for local telecoms carriers, application providers and major mobile device brands, the organizers said.

The show will also offer members of the public a chance to participate in a creative way, they said.